As data throughput demands for wireless communication grow, new techniques for antenna communications are needed. The explosive demand for wireless services and applications has led to extensive research towards 5G systems. In order to handle the high data rates associated with 5G systems, smart or reconfigurable antennas may be incorporated into wireless communication devices. These antennas provide more degrees of freedom and may support millimeter-wave communication, which operates at frequencies in the range from 30 GHz and 300 GHz, by using beam steering or beam forming to reduce signal loss. Multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) communication, which enables higher data throughput for 4G and 5G systems, may also be enabled. Smart antennas may decrease interference, increase data rates, reduce eavesdropping over wireless links, and reduce the effect of continuous stray radiation on human health.
In smart antennas, electronic beam steering is typically achieved through the use of phased array antennas. In phased array antennas, each antenna element has a phase shifter and a radio frequency (RF) signal chain. As such, phased array antennas have multiple RF signal chains to support each antenna element. Having multiple RF signal chains may increase the power consumption of a wireless communication system. Further, multiple RF signal chains may increase the costs of manufacturing the wireless communication system.